Internal & External Lives of Characters in The Great Gatsby vs. The Valley of Ashes & East EggEesha ZAHID KHAN11th Grade

For characters in The Great Gatsby, rendering delusive illusions of one’s self may be fundamental to climbing social hierarchy, but compromising the tension between their painted picture and concealed canvas may be internally agonizing. From the instance of the enigmatic relationship of the Buchanan’s, to Gatsby’s antagonizing conflict with his past and Nick Carraway’s judgements, the internal and external concepts these characters carry can be compared to something as significant as the deteriorating climate of the Valley of Ashes versus the opulent lifestyle of the East Egg.

When reviewing the exclusive relationship of the Buchanan’s, it becomes transparent that Daisy reconditions herself to adapt to the proliferating needs of a wealthy woman accompanying the roaring twenties. A woman who once gazed at her spouse with “unfathomable delight” appears locked into the relationship by her monetary greed for Tom Buchanan’s extravagant “pomp and circumstances” whilst experiencing little emotional intimacy towards her spouse. The conflict exists between Tom and Daisy’s marital ties in the public eye, versus suggestions of underlying neglect and desperation experienced by both characters throughout the novel. The fast paced “young and...